Anybody know how hard it is to modify a modern seat to tilt forward? I know it can be done, but don't know how, and don't kow who might be able to do it. Basically, I 'd like to take seats out of a 4 door, and put them in a coupe. Thanks Charles
It could probably be done but you would have to strip the upholstery off the seats to get to the frame to modify it and by the time you were done you would most likely have way more effort in it than you would to just go out an hunt down a two door seat. I had a 65 Cad coupe seat in my 51 Merc that fit like it grew there and that should fit the 53 you have pretty well too.
Its a ***** of a job---trust me. Much better to get a folding seat and have it reupholstered to match what you want..
Why not DIY?......This one turned out real nice!http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=325336
Have you considered starting with a 4-p***enger, 2-door coupe's front seats such as Mustang, T-Bird, Mk-7/8, Camaro, Regal, Cutl***, Grand Prix, Monte Carlo? their seatbacks all fold forward pretty nicely to allow p***engers ingress/egress to the 2nd row. If you are looking for a modern front seat that 'hops forward', you might look at a 2-door VW such as a New Beetle or Golf-Rabbit 2-door...their 1st row seatbacks fold, then hop forward in an arc and then the whole seat slides forward to make it even easier to get to the backseat. Very slick design , functions very well, but you might have a bear of time fabbiing up seat track mounts as their tracks are a bit odd-the inboard track sits on the center tunnel at an angle and the outboard tracks sits normally on the floor. If you want something a little more traditional, most 60's coupes had seatbacks with offset back pivots, so the seatback would fold more on the outboard side than on the inboard side, again making it easier to get to the backseat. If you want something wherein the whole seat dumps or folds forward, you might want to look at using second row seats out of an SUV or a minivan. Many of those fold, dump and pivot forward again to allow access to the third row. If you go this route, you will probably need to cut down the seat's floor risers to lower the overall height of the seats but if you can find a nice 60-40 split second row, you will have the look of an old bench seat with the functions you're looking for.
I'm thinking of some way to flip a bench seat forward for acces behind and below in a pick up. Thinking of hinginf the bottom of the front of the frame and using hood latch hardware to locate and secure the rear. route a cable release to one side or the other, pull the cable pop the release and flip the whole seat forward. flip it back and the hood latches secure it into riding position. I guess the only worry would be if the latch plates and mechanisms are strog enough safety wise.
You see, that's what I am talking about. No need to over complicate things. Of course, the seats I want are 'power', but I am sure something like this can be done. Here's a set of seats that I am drooling over right now.
Had a Dodge Ramcharger ('89) for a while, that the p***enger seat tilted forward for entry to the backseat, maybe you could steal the tracks out of one of those.
I did it with the '94 Caddy Fleetwood split bench in the '48 Pontiac 'vert. The frame for the backrest is bolted the seat base, one bolt on the inside, two on the outside, where the recliner motor is. Happily the inner one and the upper one on the outer edge line up. I took the lower outer bolt out, made a stop on the seat base just above the motor mount bracket out of a 7/16" bolt to support the back frame, and viola, 8 way power, heated, leather covered, reclining, position memory seats for free. The recliner still works as it is part of the back frame, that isn't altered. I didn't take the uphosltery off either. I only did the p***enger seat because I was lazy.
Also....if anyone is thinking of installing a set of modern seats, be very aware if the seat has airbags built in- ask the dealer in your area or better yet, call the regional service manager-director for the brand of seats you want to use if you are not sure. Many front seats today do have airbags and I would suggest avoiding airbag seats if you can, but if you do buy a set, please get the respective wiring diagrams from the dealer or ****...you will wire it wrong and destroy the seat and possibly harm yourself. Airbags can break and shatter bones and they do on a regular basis even in accidents in which the driver and p***engers are belted properly. There was an earlier suggestion of using an Escalade 2nd row...I can't think of any current 2nd or 3rd row seats with airbags, save for a few current European cars that do have them in the 2nd row so looking at 2nd row and 3rd row seats is very good suggestion....also they tend to be narrower, which helps them fit into older cars. Also remember if you're pulling a set of 2nd or 3rd row seats out of an SUV or a Minivan, make sure you take the floor latches and strikers...you will need them.
most if not all airbag connectors are yellow, and not integrated into the connector for seat controls, very hard too miss. and that missconception of airbags going off on there own, with no wiring connected is a f****
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